In March, the government declared a state of emergency in 23 of the Southeast African nation’s 28 districts amid a severe El Niño event.
The current El Niño weather phenomenon occurs against a backdrop of continued natural disasters and climate change, along with increased vulnerability that has slowed Malawi’s development.
In March last year, Tropical Storm Freddy affects more than 2.2 million people and critical infrastructure damaged. In 2022, Malawi also faces deadliest cholera outbreak when.
Widespread damage
This year’s droughts have caused widespread crop damage and negatively affected food production in Malawi, where more than 80 percent of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods.
An estimated 4.2 million people will face “acute” or IPC-3 food insecurity and another 6.7 million will face “stressed” or IPC-2 conditions by September.
The scary recession
The situation is expected to worsen during the upcoming hunger season from October to March with a national vulnerability assessment predicting that 5.7 million people (28 percent of the population) will face conditions at IPC-3 level – according to hunger classification index – or worse.
The The Appeal of Flash The target is to support 3.8 million people between July 2024 and April 2025. Women, children and the elderly make up about 82 percent of the target figure.
Combining 82 projects and working with 27 partners, including the United Nations, national and international NGOs and the Red Cross, the appeal aims to raise $136.5 million.
Severe drought in Malawi has significantly reduced access to clean water, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.
Monetary pressure
The situation is further complicated by an annual inflation rate of 32.3 percent as of April and rising food prices, with average corn prices 1.5 times higher than the five-year average.
In addition, the 44 percent devaluation of Malawi’s Kwacha since November 2023 and sky-high agricultural input costs in 2023 further exacerbate the situation for the most vulnerable.
The devaluation and depreciation of the national currency also increases the cost of transporting imported food and agricultural supplies needed during the upcoming devaluation season.
Humanitarians also predict that as the dry winter approaches, livestock could suffer due to shrinking pastures, less water and increased disease.
Main industries
The Flash Appeal program has prioritized counties most severely impacted by drought and in most need of immediate, emergency relief assistance.
The programme focuses on interventions in key areas of agriculture and food security, alongside logistics, water and sanitation, health and nutrition.
